Redemptive Revenge
by xnopk
Summary: The fate of Draco Malfoy lies in her hands. Takes place after HBP. Eventually DHr.


Disclaimer: The characters don't seem to belong to me.

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Summary: The fate of Draco Malfoy lies in her hands.Takes place after HBP.Eventually D/Hr.

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**Redemptive Revenge**

Beads of sweat trickled down Draco Malfoy's face as he sprinted across the grass on Hogwarts grounds, heading towards the Forbidden Forest. A whirlwind of feelings swept through him as he cautiously ran behind the figure of Severus Snape.

"Run, Draco!" Snape yelled, through panted gasps, "P-Potter, coming – "

Shivering slightly, Draco nodded slightly and speeded forward. He cast a wary glance towards his professor, a mixture of emotions surging through him: anger, astonishment, hatred, and also… _fear_. _How did Snape manage to kill Dumbledore?_

_Coward, coward, coward…_

_Shut up!_ Draco admonished himself silently, turning his white-blond head to see the catastrophe he had created and was leaving behind. He could see Potter now running towards their direction, brandishing his wand like a senile madman. Glasses askew, Potter was charging towards them while deftly dodging curses gleefully aimed at him.

Draco would have loved to let out a chuckle at that particular scene, but more important things started surfacing onto his mind. _What about his mother… his family… himself? H-how was he going to save his family? _

"Damn it Snape, why did you do it?" Draco burst out in sudden fury, glaring at his professor's back. "_Why?_" He contemplated on adding about his 'glory' being stolen from him, but inwardly, he knew that that was not the case. Somewhere deep in his heart, though how much he hated to think about or even admit it out loud, he knew that he was really angry with Snape for snatching away the opportunity he was given by Dumbledore: the chance to join the Light side.

Dumbledore had told him… _given_ him _the_ chance to escape from Voldemort… to _provide_ protection for his family now that he was the Head of the manor… and Snape had to come along and _destroy it_!

"I had to, didn't I?" Snape spoke disdainfully, and Draco could almost detect the sneer in his voice. "Apparently you couldn't finish the job properly."

Draco could feel the rage boiling inside him now. His face had turned a dark shade of pink, and he gripped his wand even more tightly, struggling to keep his emotions in place as he fought to answer without initiating violence.

"Not _that_," he bit back sinisterly, "I meant about your loyalty towards Dumbledore…"

For a moment, Draco swore that he had seen Snape stiffen slightly, the sickening color in his skin paling further even under the moonlight. They were now entering the Forbidden Forest, but Snape was making no efforts to stop.

"You should know where my loyalty lies, Draco," Snape answered icily, slowing down his pace by a little. "I know that you are angry at me, but what's done is done. Now, we have to report to the Dark Lord."

Draco scoffed at the words, his tone acrimonious, "Andwatch my family die under his handswhile watching you bask in '_my_' glory? No freaking way. I won't let you do that."

Both of them had stopped in their tracks now as they delved further into the woods, each facing the other with an impassive mask.

After a brief moment of intense silence, Snape broke it by speaking coldly to his student, "It is my duty to report back to the Dark Lord the events of today. Furthermore, I did tried to stop you –"

"When? _When?_" Draco prodded rudely, snorting derisively as he continued, "oh, do you mean back at the classroom after Sloghorn's party?"

Snape let out a defeated sigh, but Draco was unperturbed by it. "Draco, I…"

"Oh, stuff it. You stole _my glory_, Snape! You just caused the doom of my whole family!" The pale boy yelled ferociously, pink suffusing into his cheeks. With that, he disappeared from sight, leaving Snape wordless.

* * *

"Mother, we have to leave _now_," said Draco breathlessly, once he found her sitting on the couch in her bedroom, reading Witch Weekly. 

Narcissa Malfoy jumped up slightly in shock, and lifted her chin to face her son, expressing both shock and belief upon the sudden appearance of her only child.

"Don't ask," he replied hastily, "I'll explain later when we're safe."

"W-what's happening, Draco? D-d-did you…?" The pale woman with sharp features sounded near hysterical as tears started welling up in her eyes.

"Dumbledore's dead," he said flatly, refusing to elaborate further, or answering her question, for that matter.

Narcissa gasped loudly, emitting a loud shriek in desperation as she scampered over to grasp her son's hands in hers, peering at Draco's face through her clouded vision. "_Draco… Draco…_" She whimpered, her face eloquent with despair, "my dear Draco, _you're alive!_ I'm so –"

He jerked his hands free from hers and paced around the room, wringing his hands in frustration, "Snape killed him when I faltered." His tone was impassive.

And then, there was silence. Draco, bent on his own anger, did not notice his mother sighing softly in relief, though desperately trying to calm herself down.

"We have to leave _immediately_, Mother," he said abruptly in a croaked voice, "the Dark Lord is probably hunting us down by now."

"Son, we don't have to leave. The manor will protect us," she said softly but firmly, grabbing a piece of tissue to wipe her tear-stained face. "Now, sit down and explain everything to me. Shouldn't you be in Hogwarts? And where's Severus?"

Draco opened his mouth to protest, but reluctantly shut it and sat in a seat oppositely facing his mother, explaining the events that took place in Hogwarts just an hour ago.

* * *

"At least you didn't kill him, Draco…" Narcissa smiled sadly, gazing at his son, "I'm happy." 

"_Mother?_" Draco looked almost affronted, "what the _hell_ are you saying? Dumbledore is _dead!_"

"I know, and I'm relieved. Not because of the fact that Dumbledore is dead... but more of it that you were not the one who killed him. You know how much harm it would do to your future, Draco."

Draco stared at his mother, mouth agape in wide-eyed shock. Immediately, he contracted his actions, and cast a surreptious glance towards his mother, "what are you trying to say, mother? Don't tell me you actually intercepted my task from the -"

"Oh no, no son," Narcissa changed to a sudden high-pitched tone, though the sad smile was still plastered on her face, "that would be preposterous!"

Even though he was still slightly suspicious, he decided to believe his mother's word. Excusing himself from hisher presence, he decided to retreat back into his room to think about the future in his hands.

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